The present invention is directed to a method of and apparatus for installing an anchor, such as a rod, cable or pipe, below a water level through a wall into a soil formation where the wall may be formed of sheet piling, concrete, quay walls or the like. Initially, a retaining device is mounted on the wall and a drill mount is pivotally secured to the retaining device so that it can be pivoted between a drilling position located below the water level and a loading position where the mount is accessible above the water level. A submersible drilling machine is positioned on the drill mount for drilling below water. With the drill mount in the drilling position, the drilling machine can form an opening through the wall so that the anchor member can be inserted and anchored in place.
A known device of this type rams an anchor pile through sheet piling. Such a device includes a base plate arranged at the end of the drill mount and inclined in accordance with the desired direction, preferably at an angle of 45.degree. to the drill mount and it is rigidly connected with the drill mount, note the German Patentschrift No. 31 22 032. This known device must be attached to the sheet piling by divers, with the drilling machine being operated from above the water surface by a control unit connected to the drilling machine by a hose connection. Initially, the sheet piling is drilled or cut through with a pipe-shaped drill, the drill remains in the sheet piling and serves as a guide during the ramming of the anchor pile through the sheet piling.
A disadvantage of this known method and apparatus is that a number of work steps can only be accomplished by divers. Moreover, the drill is expendible and the ramming of the anchor pile, apart from being guided by the short drill pipe, proceeds without any additional guidance and, as a result, is practically uncontrolled. If the anchor pile encounters resistance as it is being rammed, the sheet piling has to be redrilled for another anchor pile.